Andy Fenton

Guitars

Andy is that magical combination of gifted guitarist and thoroughly nice chap, this tends to mean that everything that Andy plays has an ultra-calm quality and is done with complete sympathy for the Original; yet he is always genuinely surprised when an audience gives voice to the pleasure they derive from hearing his performance; we think that he'd best "get used to it!"

Curriculum Vitae

Name: Andy Fenton (aka Fingers)

 

DOB: 26 th September 1955

 

Residing: Milton Keynes

 

Instrument: Guitar

 

Personal Profile:

 

I am accused of being laid back, almost horizontal until you get me chatting about guitars and music. I was a child of the 60’s although I was born in 55 and went through that music era. I went through all the flares and platforms in the 70’s, married in the 80’s and had my 2 boys, and enjoyed their childhood through the 90’s until they were old enough to leave home, and travel in the 00’s.

 

My musical taste was formed by listening to Wishbone Ash, Yes, Deep Purple and Genesis….prog rock really, and although I missed them at the time, I am now in to Pink Floyd in a huge way.

 

I love a good curry, and enjoy the crack of being in bands and the social life that goes with it. I like to think it keeps me young, although the solar panel bald patch on the top of my head says differently.

 

My pet hate is form filling and people in the wrong lane at roundabouts.

 Goals/Ambitions in music:

 

To play as well as I can, for as long as I can, while I still enjoy it.

Achievements:

 

I had the opportunity to work in a recording studio, and became involved in some session work, and I also appeared in reviews for Sound on Sound magazine.

 

In addition to this I have featured on John Peel’s Home Truth radio programme being interviewed for one of my bands.

 

I have also had the opportunity of performing with some high profile musicians and performers.

 

 Musical Career History:

 

I picked up the guitar for the first time aged 17, and shortly after joined my first band in the 6 th form at school in Rugby with a bunch of mates. We called ourselves “Axe” and were a twin lead guitar rock band, in the mould of Wishbone Ash.

 

1978 – I was drafted in to a covers band called Frenchie playing the club circuit in the Midlands area.

 

1982 –Bittersweet This was a 60’s – 70’s four-piece covers band that took the Midlands by storm, and supported Showaddywaddy, Les Gray and Mud, and Mike Reid at theatre venues.

 

1984 -Carnaby Street This band was created from Bittersweet and moved in to the cabaret scene, specialising in close harmonies, and started to travel further a field covering the northern clubs circuit.

 

After a chance meeting with a comedian/impressionist called Mike Gold it was decided to form a comedy show-band.

 

1984 - The Measles were formed, performing at RAF bases, and cabaret venues all over the country, and were spotted by an agent who immediately shipped the band out to Gibraltar in 1985 to perform for the forces.

 

1987 – I moved to Bournemouth for 12 months with the day job, and had to settle for just playing my guitars at home, but soon got bored and in 1988 moved up to Milton Keynes to open my own music shop. That’s when I started setting up bands once more.

 

1989 – Coldshot . This was an R&B and covers band that progressed into a more rocky style where Wishbone Ash and Gary Moore guitar licks came to the fore.

1995 – Hellzaboppin . This was something totally different again, where I joined a 9-piece Jump Jive band. This band traveled some distance performing at festivals in Eindhoven and other venues in Holland, plus other festivals and larger venues throughout the UK.

 

2001 – Soul Survivors . I did a couple of gigs with some seasoned pros and recorded a cd. The members included Andy Pyle, Clive Bunker, Nick Payn and Andy Hamilton (all Gary Moore Band)

 

2002 – War of the Worlds was a project to re-create the Jeff Wayne musical of the same name, and despite legal problems on the eve of the event, 3 shows were performed in Milton Keynes

 

I am also currently involved in other bands, named After the Lights, a twin lead rock covers band, Great Pig in The Sky, a Pink Floyd band with a rocky twist

 

2006 – Breathe – I started to dep with this Pink Floyd Tribute band, and was then privileged to be asked to become a permanent member. This ongoing process of trying to re-create the sound and guitar style of David Gilmour gives me a great deal of pleasure and the determination to succeed with this band.